1 pronounce somethingto make the sound of a word or letter in a particular wayVery few people can pronounce my name correctly.The ‘b’ in lamb is not pronounced.see alsopronunciation,unpronounceable

2(formal)to say or give something formally, officially or publiclypronounce somethingto pronounce an opinionThe judge will pronounce sentence today.pronounce somebody/something + nounShe pronounced him the winner of the competition.I now pronounce you man and wife (= in a marriage ceremony).pronounce somebody/something + adj.She was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.pronounce somebody/something to be/have somethingHe pronounced the country to be in a state of war.pronounce that…She pronounced that an error had been made.+ speech‘It's pneumonia,’ he pronounced gravely.

Word FamilypronounceverbpronunciationnoununpronounceableadjectivemispronounceverbWord Originlate Middle English: from Old Frenchpronuncier, from Latinpronuntiare, from pro-

‘out, forth’

+ nuntiare

‘announce’

(from nuntius

‘messenger’

).Extra examplesHe pronounced himself delighted with the judge’s decision.I do not feel competent to pronounce on this matter.I don’t know how to pronounce the name of the town.Press reports beforehand confidently pronounced that an agreement had already been reached.Reality TV was officially pronounced dead by the critics.She pronounced the ‘o’ as in ‘no’.She was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.The committee has pronounced in favour of the merger.I now pronounce you man and wife.Phrasal Verbspronounce against somebodypronounce on something